


Little Things

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Broken marriage, Husbands, M/M, Short Chapters, emotional exhaustion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-03-11 12:00:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13523832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The door to Harry's office was slammed open with Louis not caring if it had broken."You stole my idea", he was in the next two minutes going to break if his body couldn't hold it in anymore.Harry pretended to be engulfed in some important files."Yeah, so what?", his head still bowed."Harold.. you saw how hard i worked for that project, i didn't sleep for days and now you do this to me?"Harry stood to be equal with him. "What are you going on about?, it's not like i took what wasn't mine, remember the vow,what yours is mine?", he had no sorry emotion or whatsoever.An AU where a marriage runs out of love after six years and the only thing left to do is to either tolerate each other for life or rebuild it as divorce is not an option





	1. Chapter 1

Another dawn, another sunrise, another day but in the house of the Tomlinson/Styles, it's always another _fight_. They are both used to it so much so that they would feel incomplete if there wasn't a fight for a whole day.

At times it is major at times it could be silly like _papers being on the table instead of the shelve_ or those very common ones like _clothes being scattered on the floor_.

"My boy breakfast is ready", Maggie Harry's long term nanny and a lady between 60s-70s, from when he was a child called out to Louis as he tried to make his to work.

Louis stopped and turned facing her direction. 

"I am so late nanny, i'll pass", he smiled with an apologetic look.

"I can't even get a kiss goodbye?, the children of today", Maggie cried shaking her head and Louis had to give her a kiss or he would not hear the end of it.

"I love you very much", he said and gave her a half-hug along with a kiss on the cheeks. 

Soon after he walked up to a gateleg table in the living room where a places most of his important items unlike his husband Harry who uses the bedside table in their room or rather his former room.

Maggie could hear him muttering a _oh fuck_ repeatedly but she continued to clean dishes.

until she could no longer take it. 

"Is there a problem?", she asked after coming out if the kitchen and moving closer to him.

Louis has his head practically buried on the table if that were possible.

"Have you seen my car keys, I'm so late that i will start crying in the next five seconds", he seemed as if he was not joking and that tears would find their way if he didn't get them.

"No, they are always right there", Maggie said seemingly confused as well. A pregnant silence followed with bit of them throwing the other items on the table all over the floor in the hopes of finding the keys. "Unless-" 

"Unless what?", Louis abruptly flicked his face to her.

"Harry", They both said in unison but the difference was Maggie looked at him with pity and he looked like he could die, literally die.

"That boy will never learn", Maggie shook her head yet again. 

Louis's phone buzzed as he stood by the table with both hands on his waist. 

He picked it up quickly and opened the message. 

**Nialler** : _The presentation has just started and it's shocking to watch_.

"I cannot believe that he thinks all this is a joke", Louis gave up cause there was nothing else he could. 

"You still have to show them your project, so better get going", Maggie hugged him rubbing his back smoothly. 

"I'm not in a good shape to stand before people"

"But they always applaud you even in your kinkiest look, innit?, Maggie tried to encourage him and she felt very accomplished when she saw Louis walk out of the house with a briefcase on his hand. 

~

"What happened Mr Tomlinson?", One of the clients could not help but asked as soon as Louis stepped in the boardroom. 

"Something came up, but i have the file right here", he smiled because there was nothing else he could do and he wanted to show Harry that he was fine despite of the cruel thing he did. 

"Punctuality is not in your vocabulary, so disappointing", Harry said with a grin.

Louis could have killed him if there were no witnesses around. 

He swallowed hard. 

"I'm sorry"

He gave each one of the seven people in the room a file. 

Confusion was in everyone's faces except Harry and Niall. 

"What is the meaning of this, Mr Tomlinson?", Mrs Susan asked angrily.

He was entangled in the web of the ugliest confusion. 

"Is something wrong?, I know it's not the best proposal yet but it is very benefici" 

"Mr Styles just showed us this, what is happening here?", Susan asked circling her eyes between him and Harry.

Louis suddenly recalled Niall's unexplained message. 

Of course Harry had to be involved. Damn him.

"The proposal needs to be changed on the financial side but in all it's a good one and the project might start soon enough", Susan said and most agreed but Louis was in another world. 

"Thank you", Harry said standing up.

"But the both of you need to figure out about who's idea this is and who is going to lead it", Susan deadpanned. 

~

The door to Harry's office was slammed open with Louis not caring if it had broken. 

"You stole my idea", he was in the next two minutes going to break if his body couldn't hold it in anymore. 

Harry pretended to be engulfed in some important files. 

"Yeah, so what?", his head still bowed. 

"Harold.. you saw how hard i worked for that project, i didn't sleep for days and now you do this to me?" 

Harry stood to be equal with him. "What are you going on about?, it's not like i took what wasn't mine, remember the vow, _what's yours is mine?_ ", he had no sorry emotion or whatsoever. 

 

_With this ring i take you  
Harry Edward Styles as my   
lawful wedded husband,  
with my body i will worship you,  
and with all my worldly goods I will share with you,   
from this day forward, to love and to cherish,  
for better for worse, in sickness and in health until death do us part_.

 

"Yeah that was the worst mistake of my life", Louis shouted but deep down he did not mean what he said.

"And who said it wasn't mine?", Harry too shouted. 

By now it was clear that no one was ready to throw in the towel whenever big fights happened and the worst part was they were acting as if they didn't care which made them convince themselves that neither the other cared about the other's feelings. 

"I cannot bring myself to accept that i once loved someone like you", Louis sighed and it was a clear indication that he was done. 

"I will head the project", Harry shouted and he was not planning to stop.

"What?, that is my hard-worked project, you will not take it from me", Louis deadpanned. 

"And what are you going to do about it?", Harry dared looking him straight in the face. 

Louis was going to do nothing, like always he let things pass. 

"My car keys", he forwarded his right hand to demand. 

"Everyone can hear you from across the building and it's very uncomfortable to", From where Liam appeared was a puzzle for them given the fact that he was supposed to be in Los Angeles with his husband Zayn.

"Sorry", Louis apologised, took his keys on the table and left cause he had nothing more to say. 

"What did you do this time?", Liam did not wait to be told to sit.

Harry puffed. "Nothing, just the usual". 

"There is no turning back?", Liam asked with a pitiful look.

"Hmm", Harry nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door to Harry's office was slammed open with Louis not caring if it had broken.
> 
> "You stole my idea", he was in the next two minutes going to break if his body couldn't hold it in anymore.
> 
> Harry pretended to be engulfed in some important files.  
> "Yeah, so what?", his head still bowed.
> 
> "Harold.. you saw how hard i worked for that project, i didn't sleep for days and now you do this to me?"
> 
> Harry stood to be equal with him. "What are you going on about?, it's not like i took what wasn't mine, remember the vow, what yours is mine?", he had no sorry emotion or whatsoever.
> 
> An AU where a marriage runs out of love after six years and the only thing left to do is to either tolerate each other for life or rebuild it as divorce is not an option

"He acts as if he owns everything", Niall could swear that in the next five minutes the glass on Louis's hands would be smashed.

"To be fair, you do too", Niall hesitantly said and the look he got made him realise why he should have shut up in the first place.

"Have i ever stolen anything that belongs to him?", Louis turned his focus to his friend and not on the poor glass expecting a response but Niall gave none. "Then why does he do these silly stupid baseless things to me huh?", and so he continued.

"You want an honest answer?", Niall asked seemingly as if he was going to say an irrelevant thing. 

"Who's side are you on here?", Louis asked just to on the same thinking level as Niall. 

Niall sighed. "I'm not taking anyone's side because you both are my best friends"

"Even if he is the one at fault?, You know he just ruined my morning, he fucking took my car on purpose so i would be late and he would get the chance to present my fucking work", Louis caught a slow breath when he was done.

"The problem with the two of you is you don't see beyond your anger and that makes me wonder sometimes if it's anger you both feel or pain, have you ever thought why you get angry for no reasons at all?", Niall was in deep summon confusing Louis to Mars.

"Are you telling me to my face that you would be ok if you woke up to find out that your girlfriend took your car when she clearly knew you had an important meeting to attend?", Louis looked rather pissed than confused. 

"How many cars do you have?", Niall asked making him annoyed to the throat. 

"I don't like flaunting my wealth and you know that that car is exclusively for work", Louis placed the glass on the counter of the reception trying equivalently hard not to explode. 

"It would be easier if you ignored his stunts and he might learn a few things or stop doing them just to annoy you"

"For how many years have you known me? Man i ignore almost everything he does and when i do, he goes and does something worse"

"I don't wanna talk about this anymore", Niall said.

"Yeah me neither, i better go home and make up for the lost six nights i hadn't slept", Louis looked deadbeat in real sense. 

"You can but after you are done with your work", Harry said and Louis groaned but it was a different groan, it was a groan that symbolised a perfect murder and he for sure was going to get away with it.

"My work which you stole by the way was the last work i had to finish", Louis viscously said. "And this is my company as much as it is yours therefore being a boss i am giving myself a break for a few days" 

"I own 50%", Harry said. 

"So do i", Louis retorted. "Now if you will excuse me, I have to go take a warm shower and lots of sleep" 

"Louis don't you dare walk out on me when i'm talking to you", Harry suddenly held his wrist cautiously to avoid praying eyes as they did not want to be the talk of the year.

Louis swiftly released himself from the grip. "And don't you dare hold my hand like that again" 

"We have a lot of work to do" Harry told him moving a step away. 

"That's why we have workers", Louis answered back.

"Can you get over it already? You are starting to sound like a nut wife", Harry blurted.

Louis brought his face to Harry's almost making it seem as if their lips were going to touch. 

"You listen to me very, very, very careful, i will never forgive you for doing that to me, till now i let everything slide because i thought if not love or friendship, we still had respect left but you proved me wrong" 

The moment Harry blinked his eyes it was then that he realised he was standing alone and his heart had a pain worse than anything he had ever experienced not even that night when they had decided to take a break from each other could amount to the pain he had. 

~

Harry knocked on his Nanny's door.

"Yeah, what is it love?", he heard her say so he took that as a _come in_ reply.

"Do you know where Louis is?", he asked as soon as he could see her face visibly.

"He is not in his room?", she asked swiftly getting up.

"No and I've searched everywhere", It would be unbelievable if someone saw the worried look on Harry's face given that he could not stand Louis's presence.

"Well go look for him, you know i'm almost close to believing that this is your doing", Maggie confessed but obviously it was his fault. 

"I'm sorry", Harry muttered, his head bowed. 

"For what?", Maggie knew but she needed to confirm her suspicion. 

"Everything", The apologetic look was enough for anyone to forgive him.

Maggie moved closer to him and held his cheeks, it was easier to as she was shorter than he was.

"I am not the one you should be apologising to, I know that you need time to figure things out but maybe doing it together is better than hurting separately", Maggie gave him the advice of a lifetime like she has always done. 

"The reason i took his car and project was because i wanted him to stay here resting cause he worked himself to death the last six days", The revelation he gave came as a surprise to Maggie but she knew there had to be a reason for Harry to do that and she was right.

"You should let him know that"

"He didn't see a reason earlier and i'm sure he won't even after i tell him, he thinks everything i do is to hurt him", Harry had cried enough a couple of days ago so he was not going to, even though it looked like he was gonna. 

The door rung downstairs and made them jumped, Harry broke the hug and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

"He is barely breathing", Zayn had Louis held tight in his arms. 

Harry took him from Zayn without letting him even step inside the house. 

"I'm sure he'll make it", Harry joked right back.

But Louis was deadbeat drunk as hell.

"He kept talking about you the entire time", Zayn couldn't help but smile as recalled the drunken scenes. 

"I will take it from here, thanks and sorry man", Harry said. 

"It's fine, you guys should do something about this shit", Zayn said and walked away, leaving Harry to carry his husband to his room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door to Harry's office was slammed open with Louis not caring if it had broken.
> 
> "You stole my idea", he was in the next two minutes going to break if his body couldn't hold it in anymore.
> 
> Harry pretended to be engulfed in some important files.  
> "Yeah, so what?", his head still bowed.
> 
> "Harold.. you saw how hard i worked for that project, i didn't sleep for days and now you do this to me?"
> 
> Harry stood to be equal with him. "What are you going on about?, it's not like i took what wasn't mine, remember the vow, what yours is mine?", he had no sorry emotion or whatsoever.
> 
>  
> 
> An AU where a marriage runs out of love after six years and the only thing left to do is to either tolerate each other for life or rebuild it as divorce is not an option

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some bit of Ziam, flashback and a little longer chapter. 
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments.

"You are late", Liam greeted his husband of fours with a warm peck and half-hug.

Zayn held onto his a little longer and groaned when Liam pulled away.

"I was with Louis", he explained before Liam could say whatever he looked like he was holding in.

"I was there when everything happened", Liam held Zayn's hand as they walked to their bedroom.

"They really look miserable than they were a week ago"

"Yeah, but you can't meddle", Liam warned helping him get rid of his coat. 

Zayn turned to face him.

"I wasn't planning to", he hesitantly replied. 

And Liam wasn't convinced. 

"I know you", he sat on the edge of the bed watching his husband get the rest of the clothes off. "Babe listen, that is something they need to fix by themselves, us interfering is like telling them we know what's best for them" 

"I was just trying to help", right after Zayn was left with nothing but briefs on his body, he joined his husband and sat beside him.

"I know but getting him drunk was not the solution"

"How did you know?", Zayn asked confused.

"Niall texted, we were fucking worried you know", Liam put a hand on his forehead, rubbing it smoothly to calm the heavy pound of a escalating headache.

Zayn climbed onto the bed resting his head on a pillow. 

"I'm sorry but i wanted to see him happy" 

Liam followed suit and wrapped his arm around Zayn's stomach with his head laid on his chest. 

"But at the expense of hurting Harry", he said as calm as ever. "I know you meant good but they are both our best friends and we should be there for both of them, by not picking sides and certainly not getting them drunk" 

Zayn was busy rubbing Liam's neck across his back not entirely confident he was paying attention to his husband. 

"You are my anchor, I love you like crazy, you know" 

Liam lips spread into a smile as he kissed the bare chest skin of his husband. 

"Stop flattering me", he sheepishly replied. 

Zayn kissed his head, more of his hair.

"It's the truth, i can't imagine this crazy life without you beside me", he declared fondly. 

"I love you too, a lot more than you think you know", Liam hearted feeling more loved than before. 

"I'm hungry", Zayn blurted. 

Liam raised his head balancing both of his arms on Zayn's chest.

"You can eat me", he wore the kinkiest smirk ever. 

"Gladly" 

The invitation did not need any further waiting so Zayn acted upon it immediately. He inclined his face towards Liam's and the next was his lips on his husband's. 

First it was a brush but the moment he decided to literary eat Liam's mouth was when he realised the taste was so from different from his. Colgate mint for his husband while his own taste was of liquor.

All the while he thought he was in control but Liam him surprised as usual by taking charge of everything, he first sat on him, gripped his hair pulling him closer to him then slipped his tongue inside his mouth making him moan with every move. The make out clearly led to an intimate love making. 

~

"Thank you", Harry said to Maggie for bringing a bowl full of water and a piece of cloth. 

"You better work out things before they get out of hand", she kissed him goodnight and dragged herself to her room. 

That was an understatement, things had already gotten out of hand a long time ago. But maybe Maggie had a reason for saying something like that, she was wise and old and like they say the old are wise. 

Staring at his husband beside him, as he cleaned him, he can't help but reflect on things he had done. They had both done. The situation started as a joke but him recalling them makes him realise how bad things actually were. 

 

~

_"Don't forget to come home early", Louis kissed Harry while fixing his tie._

_"Why?, is there any special occasion?", Harry asked making his husband's face cloud into features of sadness but he hardly noticed._

_"Never mind, just be home early if you can", Louis lied that he was fine but his heart was webbed with sadness._

_"Just tell me if there's something i should know", Harry said picking his briefcase._

_Louis half-smiled. Indeed Harry was supposed to know but as always his work was more important._

_"Umm.. It's nothing important, you are running late, better move"_

_"Are you sure?, i mean it looks like it's something serious", Harry pressed onto the subject still not realising he was making Louis hurt more._

_"Yes i'm sure, now go", Louis faked smiled as he saw his husband leave the room._

_And he was left to another boring day. The things was, Louis had made it clear that if ever they got married he would like be a working partner but if there were any adjustments he needed to comply with then he would not think twice about doing them._

_His true passion was singing and he needed all the alone time before he could share himself with the world._

_So there he was five years later and he is a stay-home husband who sometimes writes songs as he prepared to launch his music career._

_He had first hidden that from Harry but when he told him and tried to reason two years ago, it ended with Harry saying, "I'm the one who is supposed to take care of you and if i need you at the company i will tell you"._

_Big architectural and designing company build by his and Harry's money which meant mega money maker so he was just fine financially and Harry did take him to work maybe once or twice, he could actually count the number of times he had been there._

_Harry was a great boyfriend at the beginning, he would put him first, gave him love he never knew he could experience, he literally showed him the world and surprisingly he was even a better husband anyone could want. As he never missed to remind him._

_Everything was just great, happy life, happy marriage, all in all a perfect union._

_Until._

_Harry missed every single thing that was happening in his husband's life, not the pain, not the tiredness, not the cries, not the boredom and most importantly he missed to realise and understand how much Louis needed him to be by his side. To tell him that everything he was going through would pass._

_That was why he asked him to come home early, so that he can listen to him, be with him and not let him feel so alone._

_But yet again Harry came home late and exhausted. His work had completely taken over his life to a point where he forgot he had a husband who needed his attention as well._

~

_"Do you even want to continue being married to me", Louis had asked him during breakfast, one day after celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary which he showed up late, so it was not celebrated at all._

_Harry looked lost and tired and worn out._

_"Why would you ask me something like that?", he asked._

_Louis bit a piece of bread._

_"Because i feel like you don't want to be married to me"_

_"That's not what i feel", Harry simply answered._

_"What do you feel then?", Louis asked sipping tea._

_"I love you and i don't wanna have a conversation like this again", Harry got up getting ready to leave._

_"I made an appointment with a psychologist", Louis said with a bowed head._

_Harry's eyes darted into Louis's direction._

_"What is wrong?, he asked with visibly concern rushing to his husband's side._

_Still eyes fixed on the food he was having, Louis replied._

_"I want us to go for marriage counselling"_

_Harry sat on a chair beside him, his mouth curved into a smile._

_"We do not need that, we are fine"_

_"Harry, you seriously believe that we are fine?", Louis asked cautiously calm._

_"Yes, what is wrong in our marriage?", Harry's eyebrows were raised._

_It was Louis's turn to get up and maybe disappear for a while._

_"We have been fighting for the last four months and you are there pretending like everything is normal"_

_"But fighting is normal, we are normal.. Lou", Harry tried reaching for his hand but Louis backed off._

_"You never listen", Louis said shaking bus head in disappointment._

_Harry got up a well almost seemingly as if he wanted to explode but became calm when he looked right into Louis's eyes._

_"I don't listen?, ok when is the appointment?"_

_"On Wednesday at 4 pm", Louis answered with a little hope._

_"I'll be there", That was the last thing that came out of Harry's mouth._

~

_"You always think everything is a joke but it's not Harold, i get hurt every time you do that", Once again Louis was there pouring his heart cause of something he did again._

_"What do you want me to do?, Stay with you at home?, Louis i have work", he was shouting not ready to see any reasons._

_Louis was fighting back tears._

_"Thank you for pointing out that your work comes first before me", his voice was seemingly losing it's purpose._

_"Don't put words into my mouth, you know that that is not true, i suddenly feel like you are trying to find a reason to start a fight but i'm not in the mood", Harry angrily said, the words coming out in full pressure of running water._

_"I have always stood by you in everything you do, i did all you asked of me, why can't you find time to at least repay one favour?", the tears found their way into his face before he could do something about it._

_"So now love has turned to favours?_

_"This is not about love, it's me trying to get you to listen just for once in your life without contradicting me", Louis said wiping his wet face._

_"I don't understand why you keep saying that i don't listen, what don't i listen to?", Harry pressed hard his hand on the bed he was sitting on._

_"My feelings and my wants", Louis said utterly broken._

_"The reason you feel that way is because you don't have anything productive to do", Harry shouted and Louis shuttered._

_Yeah, his beloved husband just said that to him. He got up from the bed with a pillow in his hand._

_"I dedicated my whole six years into making this house a home", he cried and Harry then realised what blunder he has just committed._

_"Lou.. I did not mean tha-"_

_"It's fine, at least i know now what you think of me, but you know i can work too if i wanted and since i'm unproductive i am going to do something productive with my life", Louis took a pillow and got out before Harry could act on anything._

~

**The next morning**.

_"Why are you dressed like that?", Harry was eagerly waiting for Louis to apologise for what had occurred last night but he was surprised when he came down wearing a suit._

_"What do you mean?, oh.. Well i am going to do something productive at the company, starting from today i will be a full-time working husband", Louis said viciously._

_Harry knew he had really hurt him but his ego was not letting him do the right thing which would be to apologise and finally do that simple thing that Louis asked._

_"There are no job vacancies", Harry said angrily._

_Louis sat waiting for Maggie to bring him a cup._

_"Our lawyer i believe told us a few years back that we own the company 50-50 so i think i have a very well preserved job", he grinned and it was a hurtful grin._

_"I am the man of this house, therefore i forbid you fro-"_

_Louis cut him off._

_"I am two years older than you so technically i am the man of the house and you can't forbid me from doing anything"_

_"Let's go to that psychologist, right now if you want", Harry murmured but Louis had sharp ears so he heard him._

_Louis sighed silently thanking Maggie for not speaking._

_"I would have ran with you like a mad man if it were two weeks ago but i have decided to fully focus on me, anyways you can go to her if you want i hope you still have her number", he ate peacefully, but knew he was hurting Harry and it killed him within._

_"It's a couple's therapy", Harry was so annoyed he could burst._

_"It's good you know that but i'm sorry i won't be able to accompany you", Louis said._

_"Fine have it your way, do whatever you fucking want", Harry said and left the house throwing curses from left to right._

_"What is going on?", Maggie finally spoke._

_"Just some major changes", Louis smiled genuinely, cause by the changes he meant, Harry's changes. "I better go to work, it feels good to say that"_

_"I'm glad, good luck"_

_From that day the fights lessened at home but became like an erupted volcano at work. They could not agree on anything basically cause they could not let go of their egos. Louis did not know he could do his work so well until he started to attract few clients._

_Then Harry just lost it from there, not many were paying attention to him anymore, everyone wanted Louis, wanted to work with Louis. He could not understand if he was feeling jealous from a husband's perspective or from a work colleague point of view._

_Then one fine Monday Mrs Susan and her partners came to their farm. That's when Louis got the opportunity to finally do a major work, he had studied architectural designing so he was just the perfect candidate for that._

_He spent six days designing the best mall sketch he could think of then after those sleepless nights Harry decided to steal his work_.

~

Harry can't help but mutter a _Oh Louis_ as tears fill his eyes. The damage is so big that he doubts if everything will ever be normal again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door to Harry's office was slammed open with Louis not caring if it had broken.
> 
> "You stole my idea", he was in the next two minutes going to break if his body couldn't hold it in anymore.
> 
> Harry pretended to be engulfed in some important files.
> 
> "Yeah, so what?", his head still bowed.
> 
> "Harold.. you saw how hard i worked for that project, i didn't sleep for days and now you do this to me?"
> 
> Harry stood to be equal with him. "What are you going on about?, it's not like i took what wasn't mine, remember the vow, what yours is mine?", he had no sorry emotion or whatsoever.
> 
> An AU where a marriage runs out of love after six years and the only thing left to do is to either tolerate each other for life or rebuild it as divorce is not an option.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added one more chapter cause whatever i thought might be five chapters turned into six.

Louis tries to bring himself to open his eyes but the heavy migraine on his head doesn't allow him to. It's a mixture of headache and drowsiness. 

He doesn't bother to do anything but sit up on the bed and hiss simultaneously while massaging his forehead smoothly.

_It was stupid to get drunk_.

He thinks but doesn't care anymore. 

"It's good you are awake, how's your head", Harry asks almost frightening him to death but he relaxed upon flicking his eyes for a second and confirming it was indeed his husband and not a ghost. 

"Stop", Louis said not bothering to elaborate more. 

Harry is lost. If truth be told he found it so hard to understand Louis in the last couple of days. Well they found it hard to understand each other since months ago.

"What does that mean?", he asked as he stretched and rotated his neck.

"Stop pretending that you care and i bet you have lots of work at the company", Louis finally explains and Harry showcased his hurt. 

"I'm trying to be nice", Harry simply replied with a smirk making it seem like he was joking. 

Louis didn't like the joke nor did he see that as a joke.

"Well, you don't have to, i'm not the first person to have a hangover"

"I'll get you a cup of coffee", Harry replied in favour of saying something hurtful. 

"I can do that myself... Listen i am fine so let's go back to you ignoring me and leave me alone, please", Louis said straining himself to get up and he did.

The whole time Louis hadn't really looked into his husband's eyes to see that they were still red as they could be from the crying he did yesterday. 

So that's how it felt when the person you love doesn't understand your feelings by just simply reading your face. Harry could not imagine what Louis must have felt, If he felt worse than he was feeling or if it was even more worse. 

His husband walked passed him and into the bathroom. He took that as his cue to leave. 

~

"Lunch is in the oven-" 

"What?", Harry choked on the water he was gulping. "Lunch?" 

"Is in the oven, i am going grocery shopping and i might drop by at Naomi's", Maggie said and left. 

Ok so it was lunch. And... 

they had slept for unarguably long hours. And..

for the first time Harry put Louis above anything, though unintended it was working in some points. 

The realization made Harry smile like a nut person. Well, he thought if Louis could see things in the light that he saw them then they would reach a healthy conclusion with lots of love and admiration. 

But he was just assuming, nothing guaranteed Louis would. 

He heard the timer go off and he knew whatever was in the oven had already cooked. 

Turkey. So unusual to have it during the day and moreover when there was only two of them. 

Nonetheless, Harry took the meat out and set it on the table. 

"You are still here?", Louis asked startling him.

"Where else would i be?", Harry asked getting potato salad from the fridge and putting it in the microwave for heating. 

"Maybe at work having a meeting or better yet by the construction site working on the project you stole from me?", Louis calmly said as if it was the best remark to tell somebody. 

Harry sighed, leaning on the counter of the kitchen.

"I did it for you", he murmured. 

Louis heard him nevertheless. 

"Yea, i believe you", he sarcastically replied. 

The potato salad was ready in no time therefore he put it on the table as well.

Since Louis did not ask the time Harry figured that he already knew what time it was and besides the food on the table gave the answer.

"I never meant to hurt you", Harry said once they had successfully sat ready to eat.

"But you did anyways", Louis said as soon as the last word came out of Harry's mouth. 

There was a century silence with both of them eating and weakly stealing glances. 

"I love you so much, don't ever doubt that", Harry appeared like he was about to shed some serious tears.

Louis huffed. "How hilarious", he twitched his lips. "Let's say whatever you said is the truth, you have a funny way of showing it then, don't you think?"

Harry did not have an honest answer and even if he did, what could justify the pain Louis was feeling?

Silence fell yet again but this time Louis did not offer a glance at him.

When they were done in the minutes that followed, Harry excused himself and went to clean his body. 

In blue shorts and red t-shirt, Louis cleared the dining table in the middle of the kitchen and washed the dishes they had used while thinking of many things at a ago.

The things that Harry told him earlier were still lingering in his mind, he had to admit that it felt good to hear them and he wished he could have believed him but those things were just not beyond the shadows of a doubt. 

And Harry staying back to look after him, (That was what he was assuming and he chose to believe in that) , was the proof of the sweetest gesture among many, cause all he ever wanted was Harry to make time for him and be by his side when he needed him and to take care of him like he did last night.

~  
Louis's thoughts soon led him in front of the tv in the living room flicking through channels trying to find something interesting to watch.. But he didn't. 

Maybe it was a bad idea to take a few days off and it was not helping much by the fact that Harry was up there so close.

After what felt like decades of minutes, he made up his mind to go out and have a piece of mind and any other of relaxation... He just needed to do one more thing. 

~

"I am goi- oh my God", Louis turned around swiftly almost bumping his head on the door. "I'm sorry", he mumbled. 

Harry giggled and he heard him.

"It's nothing you haven't seen before", he continued to laugh as he dressed himself up.

"It's nothing i want to see now", Louis put on a brave font but he was sweating profusely.

"Are you sure? because you don-" 

"I came to let you know that i'm leaving", Louis cut him off to avoid the direction of the talk.

As to how Harry flashed rapidly to face Louis's back was a question to definitely be given an answer. 

"What do you mean you are leaving?", he asked weakly trying to catch fresh breath.

Louis's eyes widen when he caught on what Harry was actually trying to ask. 

"I mean.. I'm going to clear by head", he mumbled. "What did you think? I was leaving you?", his face turned into a frown, a hurt frown.

Harry puffed heavily. "I can't help but think that sometimes", he confessed. 

Louis turned his body to face him, making sure there was a relatively small distance but standing eye to eye.

"I don't know how to quit, for fucks sake i don't even know how to quit _you_ , i hate you so much because despite of everything i just don't how to not want you", he made the revelation then stormed off leaving his husband with a face full of detected tears. 

~

**Louis** : _I'm coming over_.

He was not in his right mind when he decided to get out of the house not knowing where he would exactly go. 

His phone vibrated.

**Payno** : _Alright_.

Thank the heavens for the fact that Liam was at home. Cause if he wasn't Louis would be roaming anywhere in the town without any care.

~

"You did the right thing, i mean if that's how you feel then it was good you let him know", Liam said when Louis had finished narrating to him the incident that had happened and how he ended telling Harry the lasts words he spoke. 

Zayn was not around so he felt more open to talk with one person rather than have the two of them look at him with nothing but pity and he didn't need to see them feeling sorry for him.

"I haven't even asked how your trip went yet I'm here bothering you with my stupid complains", Louis seemed apologetic and Liam fathomed he was.

Liam chuckled.

"It's very good to hear you and know that i'll always be here to listen"

"Mmm", Louis hummed. "But seriously how was the trip?"

"I thought Zayn told you", Liam shrugged.

"I didn't give him a chance to speak, i was so drank", Louis laughed. 

"Leaving us to worrying like madmen", Liam remarked. 

"Oh i'm sure you were worried about Zayn but as for me, my husband couldn't care less", Louis leaned on the comfy sofa, little puffs escaping his mouth.

"You have no idea how worried he was, when did it become so bad that the both of you can't see through each other?", Liam asked cautiously to avoid giving the impression that he was taking anyone's side. 

"Yeah right, honestly i don't know and that question should be directed to Harold", Louis replied.

"The vacation was a once in a lifetime dream come true" 

"I wish Harry could have done much to make me happy as you do with Zayn", Louis murmured. 

"Positive vibes, wanna play chess?", Liam said standing up to lead Louis to the back yard.

~

_You don't have time for me._

_You don't listen._

_You always think everything is a joke_.

Harry can't help but recall those words. There was a _you_ in every word and he certainly believed at this point that everything was his fault. 

_You should fix things before they get worse_.

And there was that, 

Everyone around him saw how bad things were but he, the person who should have been the first to notice didn't even see let alone try and make them alright.

Louis leaving him by himself at the house yet they could have spent the free time to talk and try to work on things was the greatest proof that everything was over.

He picks up his phone and sends a message. 

**To Loulove** : _Can we please talk?_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door to Harry's office was slammed open with Louis not caring if it had broken.
> 
> "You stole my idea", he was in the next two minutes going to break if his body couldn't hold it in anymore.
> 
> Harry pretended to be engulfed in some important files.
> 
> "Yeah, so what?", his head still bowed.
> 
> "Harold.. you saw how hard i worked for that project, i didn't sleep for days and now you do this to me?"
> 
> Harry stood to be equal with him. "What are you going on about?, it's not like i took what wasn't mine, remember the vow, what yours is mine? ", he had no sorry emotion or whatsoever.
> 
>  
> 
> An AU where a marriage runs out of love after six years and the only thing left to do is to either tolerate each other for life or rebuild it as divorce is not an option

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was hard to write cause I didn't even know what I was writing but I hope it's satisfying.
> 
> Also please ignore the 'short chapters' tag cause the last chapters have been nothing but short. Lol
> 
> And also please ignore the mistakes as English is not my first language.

"You can't tell me something as incredible as that then walk away", Harry stopped Louis as he was making another step into the kitchen possibly to get some water or beer or any thing that he deemed fit.

Louis's heart melted just the voice of his husband being so vulnerable and sexy was all he lived for, maybe more than he thought he could handle.

"I meant every word but it doesn't change anything", he replied to Harry and went to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator after all.

"I know it doesn't", Harry leaned with his right shoulder on the door. "I'm sorry" 

"Stop saying sorry", Louis heaved a loud sigh. "Fucking stop saying sorry - damn it", he shouted loud enough for the neighbours to hear. 

Harry's heart almost popped out of his chest. 

Fuck.

Louis was scaring when extremely mad. 

"What do you want me to do?", Harry calmly asked. 

"Did you call me here, to ask me to tell you what you should do?", Louis gulped one glass at a ago, feeling like killing Harry. 

It was becoming an habit. 

A while back when he looked at his phone and read the message that Harry sent, he could not refrain himself from jumping with joy. But right at the moment he regrets even ever thinking that happiness was for him.

"No, i called you hear to tell you that i love yo-" 

"You haven't realised by now that love just isn't enough?", Louis asked shaking his head not daring to look at Harry cause he just couldn't. 

"I don't want to lose you and the truth is i don't know how to live without you", The revelation made Louis slightly happy but there was still a long way to go.

"Isn't that what you've been doing?", Louis asked walking up to him but stopped within a few margin. 

For the second time Harry had nothing to answer. 

"I want to show you something", he said instead. 

~

"Harold, what's this?", Louis asked standing in the middle of the guest room, well Harry's room.

"You remember this one?", Harry asked picking up a picture and showing it to him.

Louis was biting back a smile. 

"Harry", he called breathlessly. 

"It was the best day of my life, i cried by just thinking of our new life together", Harry went on to speak since Louis was on the verge of melting to Mars.

That day was the most magical of all the days they have lived on the planet. 

"W- what's the point of all this? Why are you showing me our wedding picture?", Louis somehow managed to find the energy to speak.

Harry moved more closer to his husband and took his hands leaving Louis's skin fur shooting to the sky. 

"I want to remind you", he said eye to eye. 

Louis was nervous and the blush that was spread all over his face was worth a thousand pictures. 

They both missed the touch of each other. But Louis knew if it continued he wouldn't be able to resist Harry so he took his hands back.

"Remind me what?", he enquired after extreme composure. 

Harry's expression closed up as his eyes dropped. 

"The reasons you fell in love with me and the reasons you chose me"

If thought that Louis would be happy to hear that, then it was dead wrong.

"What if i don't?", he asked.

"Then i'll keep reminding you", Harry's face lit for a second. "I don't plan to let you go"

"I don't know if i'll ever forgive you for-"

"I did it so that you could have the rest you deserved after working so hard", Harry explained hoping that Louis would believe him.

Everything went quiet, it was like you could hear a pin drop on the floor.

"I highly doubt that", Louis remarked nearly grinning out of spite. 

"I knew you won't believe my explanation that's why i didn't bother telling you and believe me i went to your room to wake you up but you were sleeping so soundly and right there i decided to help you", Harry blurted and when he was done he took a deep breath.

"The problem with everything is that you always decide, what about me? Don't i have a say in anything?"

"I don't always decide for you", Harry retorted. 

"I don't remember ever deciding anything since six years ago in fact i don-", Louis remarked. 

"We have an appointment tomorrow", Harry interjected before his husband could say worse. 

Louis's eyebrows widen. 

"We do? With who?" 

"Mrs Layfield", Harry replied and he did not to explain more cause Louis understood who he was talking about. 

"Don't make plans if you know you are not going to show up", Louis found himself saying, as it was too good to be true for Harry to actually do something he says he will do.

"We'll go together, I was very serious about what i said earlier", Harry assured him.

"Ok, If we are done here then i'll be in my room", Louis said, walking to his room.

_Act Act Act Harry_.

"Stay", Those words wouldn't leave his thoughts and so he did.

Louis stopped in his steps and turned.

"Stay with me", Harry exhaled. "For today let's act like everything is fine please", Harry begged. 

"I don't want to", Louis shrugged eyes completely on his husband. 

"Lou please", Harry pleaded yet again but put on the cat face that Louis fell for every single time. 

"Fine", Louis reluctantly agreed. "Only because i missed looking at the pictures"

He said but could not believe it himself and the look on Harry's face could be interpreted that he did not believe him too.

~

From how the awkwardness turned to bursts of laughter was something worth exploring.

"You fell from the table", Harry laughed his lungs off.

"How is that funny? I got hurt and i was drunk", Louis pouted but joined in the laugh seconds later. 

Yeah he was,

He was singing his heart to Harry on the table while drunk and Harry did nothing but take pictures.

"And you looked cute", Harry blurted.

Silence took over, but it was more of a blushing from Louis.

The floor they were both sited on suddenly felt cold for him.

"Lamest thing i've heard today", he nervously dismissed Harry's compliment. 

"Come on, it doesn't count?", Harry pouted jokingly as he watch Louis shake his head continuously while laughing. "Probably not", he gave up but with some disapprovals.

"These pictures tell so many stories, i'm really thankful for my photographer husband", Louis might have completely lost himself in the laughter that he forgot what not to say with Harry so near. 

There was nothing surprising with what he said but how he said it, was what made Harry to want to eat him up or at least kiss him.

"I'm thankful that you said that", he said instead, ignoring the wild thoughts immensely. 

They both gasp, smirking as if they were the happiest they have ever been.

"I think we've spent more time than we should have", Louis tried to lighten the awkwardness. 

"But i thought it was what you wanted", Harry coos, pouting. 

Yeah Louis wanted that, but not when things were so complicated.

They couldn't touch, kiss, cuddle or do anything romantic for that matter yet they wished they could. 

Louis's face dropped. "You know what i mean, Harry", Louis's face dropped. 

"No, i don't know what you mean", Harry's voices sounded upset. "And that really hurt my feelings" 

"I don't want us to start arguing and say things we might regret later so i'm gonna go", Louis said already on his knees helping himself to get up.

The conversation for the day ended in such way. 

It was around seven, Harry confirmed that when he looked at his wrist watch and that meant dinner.

But when the food was ready and laid on the table, only him and Maggie ate. 

Given that Louis had this thing of sleeping early when he felt upset on disturbed, they both let him be. 

~  
**The Next Morning**.

"Go right in", The receptionist told them after exchanging polite greetings. 

Louis who followed Harry closely behind could hardly reckon on the fact that his husband was right there in front of him, for the first time doing something to better their relationship. 

Harry knocked. 

"Come in", A voice spoke transporting Louis back to earth from wherever he had gone off to. 

"Hello", Harry greeted reaching for her hand. 

"Hello", She responded motioning for them to sit. "Mr Tomlinson, how are you?", Her focus soon shifted to Louis.

"Very good, thank you", Louis half smiled cause obviously he wasn't _very good_.

"I'm glad you've finally decided to join your husband, Mr Styles", Mrs Layfield said.

Harry felt uncomfortable, but if he wished for everything to work out he had to take up responsibilities for his faults. 

So he replied calmly with a smile. 

"OK let's start with the easy question", She inhaled. "Why do you feel like you need counselling?", she darted her eyes between them.

How in hell was that an easy question? 

Louis had been going to her for quite some time now and he remembers being asked the same question the first day.

So in all possible sense that question was definitely for Harry. 

He thought. 

Harry looked at him and when he got no response, he knew Louis had opted out of answering. 

"To better our relationship", he explained. 

"Why do you feel that you need to better your relationship?", Mrs Layfield asked. 

Harry had time to think cause Mrs Layfield was busy noting something on her notebook. 

She looked professional and very serious in her glasses. 

"Because things are not good between us", he answered glaring at Louis.

"Can you define things not being good between you", Mrs Layfield raised her head once done and enquired.

"We fight, we don't converse and we don't agree on anything", Harry replied with thoughtful honesty.

Harry watched as Mrs Layfield nodded and then hummed an audible _mmm_.

"Mr Tomlinson, do you agree with what your husband is saying?", She asked. 

"It doesn't matter", Louis replied acquiring their full attention. 

"It matters to me, I swear i don't get you at times, you wan-" 

"Because it won't suddenly make him the person i fell in love with", Louis interrupted Harry. 

"And who is the person you fell in love with?", Mrs Layfield asked. 

Louis could answer that without a second hesitation. 

"Actually 'was'", Louis corrected cause the present Harry was very different from the old one. "He was not self-centered", he defined in one word. 

But Harry was fuming. 

"I'm self-centred? Just because i don't do what couples do, i'm suddenly self-centered? Are you serious right now?", he asked tapping his foot with a thud not even realising the nuisance it was causing. 

"You are not listening again", Louis replied calmly. 

"Ah, And now i don't listen", Harry threw his hands on the air in annoyance. "It's always you telling me that i don't listen" 

"Gentlemen calm yourselves", Mrs Layfield told them. "Lets be done with the formalities, cause here i want to be your friend so that i can understand you better" 

No response, just stares. 

"So Louis, why do you say he doesn't listen and that he's self-centred?"

"Because he doesn't, the only thing he does is shout at me whenever i bring something up and only cares about himself", Louis replied feeling emotions starting to take over his body.

"You always have a direct answer for everything even for those that are supposed to remain unanswered, i don't feel like i can talk to you without us ending up shouting", Harry said turning his eyes to him.

"The whole time we've been here, none of you has told me the reason for the fights and shoutings, so what really causes them?", Mrs Layfield questioned. 

Harry would give the answer as _Louis Tomlinson_

And be a thousand percent sure that Louis would give the answer as _Harry Styles_.

"Harry doesn't take anything seriously, he doesn't give a shit to the fact that he hurts my feelings when he acts like that", Louis went for a more calmer answer and his eyes were close to start pouring rain.

"So the fights are initiated by you when you feel he doesn't care?", The psychologist asked. 

"No, i try to talk to him but he misinterprets my words and everything just goes boom.. from there", Louis explained. 

"Harry, do you think that you misinterprets his words at times?"

"I don't know, maybe", Harry answered.

"Louis, do you think that the way you approach him is what causes his bad reactions?", Mrs Layfiel asked. 

Louis has never thought of anything like that. 

"I don't really know", he replied. 

Mrs Layfield smiled. 

"Do you gentlemen realise that you have own up to your faults without blaming the other?"

They both flicked their eyes to each other. And from the reactions it was clear that they had no idea of what Mrs Layfield said.

"Is it hard for the two of you to agree on something?" 

"The only thing i want is for Harry to listen and take seriously what is supposed to be taken seriously and care about something else other than himself", Louis replied. 

"As you can see, yeah, it's really hard for us to agree on anything", Harry answered. 

"When did the disagreements really start?", The psychologist asked. 

No one knows and no one has the accurate and honest answer. 

But they had to give the answer nevertheless. 

"One day Harry just changed", Louis said. 

"Nobody can change within a day, that's a lie", Harry shot back.

"What made you think he had changed?", Mrs Layfield tried to avoid an argument from erupting. 

"Harry came late from work one day then the next day and before i could say anything about it, it had become an habit", Louis could swear a tear drop fell from his eyes. 

Fucking emotions. 

"I was working to better our future and take care of us", Harry defended himself. 

"Sometimes we think we are doing what's best for our spouses but it turns out it's the complete opposite", Mrs Layfield explained. "Were you financially unstable at the time? 

"No, we both come from a very well to do families", Harry replied. 

"Then what was the need for you to work up to late hours?" 

"Our respective fathers gave us the support we needed once we were married then we decided to start a building and designing company, to show them that they had done the right thing by lending us the money, I promised myself to work hard to make them proud", Harry sighed after explaining. 

"Didn't you feel at that time that you needed to make Louis proud too?", She asked and Louis adjusted himself eagerly waiting for the reply.

"Course i did, that's why i worked hard to give him a comfortable and fulfilling life", Harry said.

Louis looked happy but not satisfied, and his watery eyes was being a nuisance. 

"So you think a comfortable and fulfilling life is what a person needs to be happy?", Mrs Layfield asked with eyes on her notebook.

"Yes but also love.. Love comes after those two things", Harry answered as if he was saying the most pleasant thing on the planet. 

"We had only love before getting married Harold, and we were happy, i was happy", Louis didn't mean to interrupt but he couldn't hold it any longer. 

"Do you feel like your marriage has a future?", Mrs Layfield startled them with that question. 

Another bombshell thrown to them, but maybe they needed to really think about that. 

Maybe they were better off as not a married couple or anything of a couple in general. 

Or 

Maybe keeping their marriage was the best thing to do.

"That's all for today, the next time we meet would be enough for what you would have decided as the answer"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is incomplete cause I didn't wanna write long chapter that might be boring to read.
> 
> The final chapter might take long to update cause i'm still thinking of the ending.
> 
> Thank you for the kind responses.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The door to Harry's office was slammed open with Louis not caring if it had broken.
> 
> "You stole my idea", he was in the next two minutes going to break if his body couldn't hold it in anymore.
> 
> Harry pretended to be engulfed in some important files.
> 
> "Yeah, so what?", his head still bowed.
> 
> "Harold.. you saw how hard i worked for that project, i didn't sleep for days and now you do this to me?"
> 
> Harry stood to be equal with him. "What are you going on about?, it's not like i took what wasn't mine, remember the vow, what yours is mine?", he had no sorry emotion or whatsoever.
> 
> An AU where a marriage runs out of love after six years and the only thing left to do is to either tolerate each other for life or rebuild it as divorce is not an option

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the last chapter.
> 
> I had so much fun writing this and obviously it has many mistakes since it is not beta'd
> 
> Thank you very much for the kind responses, i appreciated them a lot up to this point.

**Three months later**.

"Are you nervous?", Niall asked Louis who was visibly shaking.

Silly Niall as always.

"I swear if you ask me that one more time, i'm breaking up with you", Louis jokingly warned.

"You know you can't and never will, i'm literally your everything", Niall said smiling to the fullest.

"Not everything just my plus one", Louis's laugh could be heard by everyone even those outside the arena if that were possible. 

Niall shaking his head said, 

"How rude" 

"You are on in ten seconds", A man just about Niall's age (probably the event manager) slammed the door to Louis's dressing room and interrupted their small witty talk.

Louis was feeling the pressure up to his bones. It wasn't his first gig but this one was a huge deal for him because many people were in attendance compared to the last five he had done. 

That was what he wanted in life, to be able to live his true dream and now he was living it, just one step closer to becoming the greatest musician of all time. 

"Did he come?", He asked Niall for the last time. 

Niall of course knew who he was referring to. It was a never ending question for the last three hours. 

"No", Both their faces showed pain that was no longer concealable. "But Liam and Zayn did", Niall tried to cheer him up but he could only try so much. 

Louis was heart broken, Yet another show with no traces of his husband. 

Only when he heard his name being announced was then he shifted his thoughts to what he was supposed to be thinking about... His show. 

He went onto the stage, feeling like he could take the world from the outside but from the inside it was another untold story. 

"Hey guys, thanks for coming and showing this much love", He addressed the crowd as he had been doing before performing. "The song i'm about to sing to you today is dedicated to all of us who are going through tough times in life" 

The cheers and noise from the crowd makes him not regret ever living his dream and the reason he should not let them down.

"And think that you can't handle anymore but know that eventually things will be alright and much better than before" 

Louis tried to convince himself that cause his mother continuously reminded him to _just hold on_ , that is another phase that will come to an end soon. And sometimes he could swear that he believes it and tries to live by it.

The help of his friends has been amazing especially Niall who has been by him through all of it, not leaving his side for even a second. 

Those were some of the things that he would never in his life ever take for granted. 

~

Half way through the song and he can feel and see how much he is loved and how much his fans truly care about his music.

They sing along to a song that was released just two days ago and that too without a lyric video, simply an audio. 

What a trouble it must have been for them to memorise the lyrics in just two days! 

He can't help but wonder.

The positive energy makes him switch his mind to a happy and carefree paradise, he could see it every time he closed his eyes. 

But sadly every good thing has an ending. 

After performing four songs back to back, one his own _Just Hold On_ and the remaining, covers of his favourite songs by _Oasis and The Fray_ , he can now go rest and say that he had given his all and more rewardingly he had fan.

~

"You were..", Zayn tried to search for the right word as he held Louis in his arms. "Spectacular", he finally settles with that.

Louis rapidly moved his body away from Zayn's.

"You're exaggerating", he sheepishly hit Zayn's right arm.

Zayn groaned drawing the attention of his husband and Niall.

"Careful there", Liam's said. 

"Louis thinks i'm lying by telling him that his performance was amazing", Zayn blurted before anyone else could think of talking. 

Both Liam and Niall joined them on the large sofa in the dressing room and wrapped Louis into a humongous hug.

"Have a little belief in your abilities, if we tell you that you were amazing it because you really were", Liam was the first one to speak when he saw that everyone had something on their mind that they wanted to tell Louis.

"We know what you are capable of and what you are not, believe me i would never praise you if you didn't deserve it rather i would tell you the truth, that's what brothers are for", Zayn spoke next.

"I guess it's my turn now", Niall joked. "Mine is to say that we love you very much"

Everybody's smile grew wider.

"Group hug", Niall shouted.

"Count me in", A female voice they were all familiar with said.

They flicked their eyes to her.

"Eleanor", Louis breath.

"You smashed it out there", She joyfully said. 

"Came in, in the last minute, true or false?", Niall challenged.

"True but better late than never", She was enough to shut Niall up. 

The others chuckled, a fulfilling chuckle. 

Eleanor met Louis back in high school and they have been friends since then.

The group hug happened later in about twenty minutes of teasing and laughter. 

Signing autographs was a piece of work for Louis but he was getting used to it. And many did come up to him but only few got lucky. 

Happy place to be but it would be even happier if he could have had Harry by his side. 

~

_I love you", Harry had said when they had reached home that day from attending the therapy session._

_"So do i..", Louis hesitated._

_"There is a 'but' isn't there?", Harry asked almost crying his eyes out._

_Louis was shuttered to see him like that, it was not a pleasant site._

_So he moved and held him in his arms like it was their last hug, crying along with him._

_Sometimes the tears speak for a lot of words that can't come out._

_"I have been going to her and i think you should too", Louis's voice cracked. "I need sometime to better myself and you know you need it too because right now all i feel is pain and anger and the truth is, if i stay things might worsen and become something else"_

_"You have not given me a chance to remind you of the happy life we had, it's not fair", Crying on Louis's shoulder was a great help for him._

_Seeing each other in their most vulnerable condition was the truest form of understanding that they could ever have for one another._

_"Life is not fair, my love", Louis used his left hand to wipe the tears that seemed to never stop flowing. "You will have all the pleasures of doing so when we find our way back to each other"_

_"What if you forget about me, i won't b-"_

_Louis broke the hug, took Harry's hands on his own._

_"You are my life, my breath, my heart belongs only to you... And i don't think your memories will ever allow me to forget you or let you go", That was all the assurance that Harry needed but the question would be if he believed in all that Louis confessed._

_Because people change, and time waits for no one,_

_People fall in love again and again and they can be in love with two people at the same time._

_Johnny Deep said that,_

_"You can't fall in love with two people at the same time but if you do then choose the second one cause if you really loved the first one then you wouldn't have fallen in love with the second one"._

_What if Louis falls in love again and chooses the other over Harry?_

_There had to be that possibility, but all Harry had to do is trust in his husband and believe that he was only made for him._

_Besides some time apart could have meant days or weeks right?_

_"Please don't walk out on me"_

_Except, he wasn't ready to accept any of the shit that was going on._

_"I am not", Louis plainly answered._

_"Where are you going?", Harry asked his voice almost losing its purpose._

_"To my mom's, i need them", Louis answered with no further clarification._

_"For how long?", Harry murmured tirelessly._

_"I honestly can't say", Louis replied, breaking his husband's heart even more._

_"How am i going to live without you?", Harry asked in a minute of silence._

_Emotions were swelling up._

_"I promise this nightmare will be over before you know it", Louis answered but he was not sure how he was going to make it without Harry too._

_"I'm sorry but i can't let you go, we can work some arrangements so you don't have to leave", Harry still insisted not fully over the idea._

_"Harold please, this is hard as it is and you are making it even more harder, there is no other way", Composure was out of question for them cause their souls were out of breath._

_They stayed like that for a while, breathing into each other's scents while clinging onto one's body for the last time._

_The tears couldn't be stopped even when they continuously wiped them._

_It was pointless._

_Cause it was better to let them flow, as at least the pain might have reduced._

_"My heart won't be able to take it", Harry confessed and Louis wished at that instant that he could take the pain away._

_But he couldn't._

_Learning to heal after hurting was a reward they both looked forward to after sacrificing so much to better themselves._

_"Please Harry", Louis begged almost out of breath._

_And that was the last conversation they had that evening._

_Harry woke up the next day to find a note that read,_

_If it's gets too much,  
please remember the reasons  
we are doing this. _

_I love you._

_Right there and then after reading the note, he promised himself to be everything that Louis wanted in a man, a husband and out of him. While patiently waiting for his husband to come back to him_.

~

"It felt really good to be up there performing in my home town", Louis told his friends holding a mug of coffee.

"So happy for ya, really awesome gig", Eleanor interjected. 

"Wanna join us for dinner?", Niall asked Eleanor. 

"I'm missing out cause i'm really tired, my body is numb", Louis rejected the offer before the question reached him. And the truth was that it wouldn't have reached him cause Niall never felt the need to ask those kinds of things instead, he would drag him along whether he liked it or not.

"I would never refuse free food so count me in", Eleanor replied.

"Leeyum?.. Zaynie?", Niall darted his eyes between the two of them desperately waiting for the answer he needed to hear. "Don't say no" 

~

"Mom, i'm leaving", Louis called out to his mom. 

His friends had gone back to Holmes Chapel so he was the only one left behind. 

The crazy thing with the friendship among the five of them was they did everything Harry asked. 

So the thing was, they met in a bar as a whole one fine Sunday night.   
Louis and Harry were celebrating their one month anniversary eight years back and the trio happened to be there minding their own business when the duo spotted them and invited them to join in the celebration.

Niall was a newbie in the town recently from Ireland trying to find a life and Zayn and Liam had come to explore the beauty of nature and everything fascinating about the town from their respective cities. 

The chemistry was so magnetic that they were glued to each other from then on. Introduction then talks then friendship that lasted a lifetime. 

Months in between Harry gave each one of them the idea of moving to Holmes Chapel and they both acted upon it including Louis who would only visit once in a while to see Harry. 

Doncaster was everything for Louis but he loved Harry that much to leave it behind. They all did. Harry was like their ultimate everything not to say that they did not have minds of their own, just that they saw nothing wrong with making some changes. 

Besides the place was so good that they had no room for complaints. 

Fast forward to the future, no one was unhappy, enjoying life to the fullest. 

"Wait for your sister, she won't like it if you go without saying goodbye", His mother shouted from the kitchen. 

Louis maneuvered his way to where his mom was and hugged her from behind.

"My ride is here, tell her i'm really sorry", she told her.

His mother turned still hugged by him and gave him a proper hug.

"Somewhere you need to be?", She asked.

"No, nowhere in particular", It was half a truth cause to be honest, he had no idea where to head. 

"Ok, we'll come visit soon, maybe that won't make her mad at you for the rest of the year", His mother joked about Lottie (his sister) and her tempers.

Louis laughed.

"I'll be expecting you", he replied.

"Take care, yeah?", His mother had no plans of letting him go. He could tell by the way she was holding him tightly.

"You too", Louis answered and with a lot of effort, he got himself off of her and kissed her goodbye. 

For the good fortunes of his fate, Louis thanked God for the fact that his friend Ed Sheeran had a chopper, he had his own too but he and Harry shared it. And he did not want to come in contact with Harry just yet so he borrowed Ed's instead.

And it was better than riding on a train or driving there as it was the fastest way and definitely the less tiring one.

His mother stood by the field as he got into it and minutes later he was gone. 

Hopefully by the end of his journey he would have made up his mind of the place he really wanted to go and be.

~

"My baby", Maggie ran to Louis and threw herself on him almost making them fall to the ground. "I missed you so much" 

Louis kissed her temple. 

"I missed you too" 

Well, it was so long that they had seen one another let alone be in contact. Louis thought it was for the best to not know what was happening to Harry through her cause for sure she would have told him of everything that was going on.

By how quite things were he could tell that Harry wasn't around or, Harry would have ran to him like a mad dog.

It wasn't hard to decide where to go apparently. His mind kept telling him not to meet Harry but his heart told him the opposite so he went with the latter. 

"How is he?", Louis asked the question that he had been longing to ever since he got there. 

"He's better", Maggie answered quite seriously and meant it.

Louis was happy to hear that, not to say that he knew what the _better_ remark actually meant but that he chose to lean on the positive side. 

Eventually the hug ended and Louis had to admit that he missed being there and everything about the house or as he used to refer to it _a home_.

It was just days away from winter season but the weather seemed as if it was already winter. He loved it nevertheless as he had always found it beautiful whenever it snowed even though some would really hate the snow and cold it accompanied. 

Louis wanted to ask the whereabout of his husband but he was still wrestling with a firm decision to make. 

Minutes into thinking and no apparent reason for the question in the first place, he excused himself and carried his belongings to his former room.

Nothing much had changed except the room being clean and the duvet on the bed well spread. The room was dark so he drew the curtains even though it was almost dusk.

Maggie sure did a great job by tidying the room.

So many memories lingered in his mind, it felt like it was only yesterday that things were good then bad then worse. 

As Louis was unpacking his belongings, he heard words being exchanged from downstairs and he knew it was time. 

Time to come face to face with the person he missed so much. Time to say the words he couldn't say three months ago. Time to finally get back the love of his life and the person he fell in love with or...Time to get his heart broken cause maybe Harry had changed into the worst version of himself. 

As he was nearly approaching the flat of stairs, he heard a man's voice that he was not familiar with. His legs refused to move any further. 

Laughter echoed from below and by the way they were enjoying themselves it was clear that Harry had no idea of his presence. 

Then a thought hit Louis.

Harry had moved on, Harry was no longer his but somebody else's. 

Louis wanted to go far away from there before his heart explodes but the only way out of there was to walk past Harry and whoever his company was. And he just couldn't keep running away, not this time and most certainly not today. 

So he made up his mind to deal with whatever awaited him. 

The laughter quiet down, all that could be heard were his feet clapping against the staircases. That did get the attention of Harry and his colleague because Louis saw them focus their eyes on him as soon as he landed his feet on the cold floor.

Harry had curls no more, he looked a lot handsome than he did months back, he had grown a bit taller and his green eyes had that spark and radiant they used to have. 

Louis shouldn't have observed that but he would have noticed it sooner or later if not today.

"Hi", he forced a smile not because of Harry but because of who Harry was with. 

No one could fathom how Harry was feeling, a minute ago he was laughing so lively and now he looked like a drained bird.

"Louis.. I.. This... Umm.. This is Shawn", Harry struggled with words then that was what came out after thirty seconds.

The introduction should have come later in the talk after knowing about each other's well-being but Harry jumped straight to it.

All Louis had in mind was Harry must really care for that young man.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your-" 

"Shawn Mendes.. Harry's sidekick", The man young man gave out his right hand to Louis.

Who needs a sidekick in the world we live in today? 

Louis took his hand and shook it. 

"Nice to meet you Shawn, i shouldn't have interrupted you", he said circling his eyes between them. 

Shawn's mouth formed into a smile.

"No you didn't, i was about to leave anyways, was just making sure he reached home safely" 

Those last words shouldn't have hurt him much but they did. Besides being Harry's sidekick he was his protector? Cause bodyguard was not the correct word to define the way he said the words. 

"See you tomorrow", Shawn concluded.

Harry nodded, Louis watched the scene in agony and pain.

~

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?", Harry spoke first when they had affirmed the absence of Shawn.

"It was supposed to be a surprise but it looks like the surprise was meant for me", Louis tried really hard to stand still but his legs made it impossible to.

"What are you talking about?", Harry asked.

The tone had changed to a relaxed one, the voice was sweet. What the fuck happened in just three months?

"How long have you been dating?", The words spined rapidly out of Louis's mouth.

The corner of Harry's mouth quirked up. He was thinking of how stupid Louis actually was. What would surely happen between Niall's crush and him? And Niall had warned him to stay away from wanting another man except Louis.

But it wasn't a sin to play around for a bit. 

"About two months", he replied. 

"You couldn't wait for a least a year?", Louis was wondering why he was engaging in that kind of conversation but he was really angry. 

"I could have but i didn't want to, i mean i seized the opportunity at the earliest" 

I mean how could Louis think that Shawn would have a place in Harry's heart romantically? 

"Well good luck with your new found love", Louis squealed.

Seeing no point in indulging further in a conversation with Harry, he walked away but mid-way he heard Harry chuckle. 

"What's so funny?", he swiftly turned and questioned. 

"Lou", Harry called still with a smile on his face. "He likes Niall"

The blush of embarrassment on Louis's face was priceless. 

While lost in another world, he did not notice Harry picking up a magazine lying on the sofa until he said. 

"Look at this"

Louis took it and read the headline. 

_Not bigger than David Bowie but be sure Louis Tomlinson is the next breakout popstar_.

The _Uk magazine_ did know how to exaggerate, breakout popstar? 

"That's....bit too much", Louis observed. 

"More like the truth.. You look happy and satisfied", Harry commented but left Louis with a raised eyebrow. "On the pictures", he continued. 

"What about in person? And don't say i look miserable", Louis joked. It felt like old times. 

Harry's smile slowly wore off. 

"Handsome and skinny", he said.

Truth be told Louis had really lost quite a number of weight. And by the comment Harry was rather worried.

"Umm... Well-" 

"What is it?, Harry interrupted him.

"You look different, more like, you know.. The hairstyle is cool and you really are very.. Changed" 

"By changed, you mean hot?", Harry asked making Louis blush even more. 

"Yea.. Hot", Louis admitted fondly. 

"You look very 'changed' too", Harry mimicked the changed word while cackling. 

Louis soon joined in. He missed that so much. The sound of Harry's voice and his laugh. Harry did miss his too.

"I waited for you", Louis said when the laughter had slowed down. 

"Was afraid you wouldn't come back with me", Harry relied, strangely with a grin.

"Hmm.. Logic explanation", Louis noted with a grin.

"I need something from you", Harry said still on the sick mood. 

Louis tensed and it was becoming tiring to stand for so long so he brought himself up to the sofa and sat on one of its arms.

"I don't think i have anything interesting to offer", he joked eyes on his husband. 

Harry moved away from the wall he was leaning on and maneuvered his way so that he was standing in front of Louis. 

A minute of silence then Harry suddenly reached for Louis's hands with his own getting him up on his feet.

"A hug", he said when they were so close that it was almost like they were breathing the same oxygen. "Is interesting to offer", Harry continued then wrapped his arms on Louis's shoulders, his head leaning on his temple. 

Louis was dumbfounded, the whole thing caught him by surprise, leaving him not knowing how to react. At that point it would have been pointless if someone told him to relax.

Harry's scent was still the same. The cologne, the odour and the breath. After thinking about everything good in Harry, he brought his own hands onto Harry's waist. The adrenaline rush could not be stopped even if he tried for a hundred years. 

Louis inhaled, practically taking in the breath of life courtesy of Harry. It was as if nothing had changed. He felt like that was the place he was supposed to be and should have been all along. 

"You look good in suits by the way", Louis commented. 

Harry did look good in a suit. It was funny that he began wearing them when Louis had gone yet he was always against it whenever Louis tried to persuade him to wear them.

"I've been told" 

~

Eight at night and what better thing to do than to catch up on things and by things it actually meant everything for the both of them.

Harry lying on the floor on one side and Louis sitting with crossed legs while biting on pieces of cake that Maggie humbly baked for them, they looked like two teenagers hopelessly in love. 

They laughed to lame jokes and got serious on funny teases, the sight was immensely ridiculous to watch.

"We are idiots", Harry gasped, he then grabbed his fork and shoved a bit of cake into his mouth before smashing the rest onto Louis's cheek. 

"That really hurts you know", Louis cried but the smirk on his face hinted at Harry to continue. 

It felt gross of course, Louis squealed, then tried wiping it off with the back of his hand and then licking it because, it's a fucking vanilla cake. 

"Aww.. Sorry", Harry teased. 

"You are the actual idiot here, you ruined my beautiful face", Louis continued the drama. 

Still laughing Harry sat up, then leaned closer to Louis.

"Let me see.. Where does it hurt?", It was not helping Louis at all that Harry rubbed his cheeks smoothly trying to wipe the rest of the cake off. 

It was supposed to be an innocent move but Harry soon found that he could not resist not being able to do anything with Louis in front of him.

The touch did a lot of things to both of them. Louis was weak to his knees and Harry wanted nothing more than to kiss him, feel his taste, devour his tongue and practically his mouth. 

Wasting no more opportunity Harry moved his thumb to Louis's lips brushing over them, cautiously observing his reactions. When he found none he took that as a cue to make things even more tensed so he leaned in and pressed a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

Seconds into the kiss and Louis had no response, he resembled so much of a statue. 

Harry pulled away thinking it was stupid to impose on Louis like that and that got Louis back on reality. 

"I'm sorry, i shouldn't have kissed you", Harry he stated feeling a little embarrassed and stupid. 

“I- yes- i-,” 

"No pressure, just relax", Harry calmly replied with a grin.

Louis could walk away, could try to get Harry literally out of his face but he made the mistake of looking at Harry who was a lot closer than he thought, their noses almost brushing against each other.

And for that matter he couldn't deny that he wanted it. That he wanted Harry to eat his whole face if that were possible. The only thing left to do was for once in a long time do what he wanted without any pressure or guilt. 

So he leaned forward, Harry's eyes threatening to pop out of their socket and kissed him hopping that he will be kissed back.

After sometime, the clicks of their lips touching and breaking was what was left to be heard as they had gotten into a more comfortable position. The taste of their mouths which was vanilla of course made it hard for them to stop.

But Louis knew it had to stop, that they couldn't continue, not when he wasn't sure where the relationship stood or what Harry had in mind.

So he slowly pulled away, breaking the kiss. They both were panting almost out of breath. 

"All gone?", Louis asked nervously trying to bring the calm back by asking the obvious question pointing to his face that longer had cake.

Harry looked disappointed, he wanted more to happen and Louis saw it but they both had to control themselves or at least respect each other's wishes so he did nothing but nod in response. 

~

In the middle of the night, awoken by a voice that could possibly be anyone's, either an intruder's or someone's in the house but Louis could swear he can hear someone weeping. 

Louis swiftly got up and lit the bulb, then moved forward to find the source of the nuisance. Halfway through and he can clearly detect the voice.

Earlier he would have budged in without an invitation but things were not the same. He looked worried and almost like he was going to cry. 

"May come in?", Louis asked knocking and waited patiently for the response. 

The weeping suddenly stopped and he could hear footsteps coming to the door. 

"Did i wake you? I'm sorry", Harry said looking as if he was not the one who was crying minutes ago.

"No, i wasn't sleeping", Louis half-lied cause honesty he wasn't in deep slumber so it was kind of logical. "Aren't you going to let me in?", he went ahead and asked when he saw Harry had no plans of doing so.

Harry caught on and moved to allow Louis in.

"Nightmares and stuff", Harry spoke huffing with a grin.

Louis knew when he was lying and telling the truth, that was something no one could take away from him even if he were to have an amnesia. 

"It's fine if you don't wanna talk about it but nightmares happen when someone is asleep, Harold", Louis replied back with a smile.

Harry looked nothing like someone who had just woken up from a nightmare, he hadn't slept an inch for that matter. 

“Come on, I'll help you sleep", Louis surprisingly offered. A surprise to the both of them.

Harry had no objections, it was not like Louis hadn't done that before on multiple occasions. It was the habit of his to let everything he was feeling out when all were sleeping but he ended up waking Louis who would talk him through it and make him feel safe and secure and it worked every time. 

Louis ended up sleeping beside him, listening to him weep and at some point he joined in too. It wasn't long before he found out why Harry was crying.. Apparently he was happy and sad at the same time so it kind of was a joyful- painful cry. Happy Louis came back, sad they weren't what they used to be.

 

**Two weeks later**

"A legend has been born", Niall shouted pacing back and forth as he read out a tweet.

"I wouldn't object that", Zayn spoke from Liam's arms on the couch.

"Guys i was thinking-" 

"Bout going on a vacation? Cause man i need it", Niall cut off Louis.

"No Niall", Louis rolled his eyes. "Bout Zayn performing with me", he said and slightly covered his face with his hands to avoid Liam's burning eyes. 

They had that conversation a few times but Zayn ended up declining the offer for some unknown real reasons. 

"As much as i'm against it at the end of the day it's him who'll decide what he wants", Liam cooled down, looking more chilled than usual.

"So?.." Niall asked darting his eyes to everyone. 

Zayn released himself from Liam.

"I would love to.." 

"But?", Louis asked. 

Zayn sighed seeing how disappointed Louis was.

"But i love my simple life right now maybe someday when i'm truly sure i want to live in your world then i will personally inform you right away" 

Louis huffed. "Yeah maybe i'm demanding too much and too soon, i guess this whole thing is for me, m'self and i" 

That statement initiated a laugh from all of them.

"Lou by the way Niall has someone special", Liam thought he should share the good news in that positive moment. 

"I remember being told", Louis happily admitted. "But like you're going steady?", he turned to Niall who was blushing endlessly. 

"Stop it guys, he doesn't even know i like him", Niall sheepishly blushed even more. 

Yeah it has happened so many times that, the others could see when two people like each other but ironically the party being mentioned couldn't see.

Niall wasn't different and neither were his friends. 

"When is that husband of yours getting back?", Niall changed the subject. 

The door was unlocked before Louis could answer. 

"Speaking of the dev-" 

Niall's world suddenly stopped. Causing all kinds of stares from everyone. 

"Flowers for you", Harry kissed Louis's right cheek giving him flowers like he had been doing since a week ago.

"That's so sweet", Zayn said impressed by the gesture. 

"Thank you", Louis blushed fondly staring at his husband. 

"Hello Shawn", Liam greeted but got no response so he gave up minutes into waiting. 

They couldn't blame Niall and Shawn, it wasn't like the four of them hadn't been there before. You see the possible love of your life then your world turns into fairytale dreaming. 

"Table is set", Maggie yelled from the kitchen. She was the happiest seeing her boys so very happy and full of life. 

Everyone settled around the dining table then Niall whispered to Zayn sitting between him and Liam. "How do i tell him i like him?" 

Unfortunately Liam heard him. It would be so rude to talk about Shawn when he was right there so Liam opted for texting. 

**To Nialler** : _Text him that you like him_.

The phone beeped. Niall read the message and he wanted nothing more than to kill Liam but he thought hard really hard. Of course he had Shawn's number for work related issues not that one.

 **To Shawn** : _I know you wouldn't have liked it this way but i like you_.

The moment Shawn literally choked on his chicken salad while reading the message was when everyone caught on what was going on. And the laughter soon followed without an invitation. 

~

**Few Days Later**.

 

"What are we doing here?", Louis asked as soon as the bandana was strip out of his blindfolded eyes, his lips struggling hard to conceal a smile. 

"I wanted to show you our new hideout.. Tah-duh", Harry sung motioning towards the log cabin. 

"Hideout?", Louis asked laughing. "We are in the middle of nowhere in a forest... A very dangerous place to be by the way", he concluded observantly. 

"My point exactly..away from everyone and everything, besides no one would be able to find us here", Harry defended. 

"But the animals will", Louis argued but he was moved by the gesture. 

"I will protect you if they do", Harry blurted but he meant it. "Come on, don't be a kill joy", he reached for Louis's hands. 

Louis gave them. "You bought it?", he asked cause he couldn't wait any longer, Harry nodded. "Why?", he proceeded to ask again.

Harry brought Louis's hands to his lips and kissed them. "I'm earning you", he simply replied. 

Louis just smiled probably cause he had fallen in love with Harry even more than he had years ago. 

The house was small but spacious and it was what Louis imagined it to be.. heaven for just two of them.

~

"I will be fat in two days, I swear" 

"Strawberry cake doesn't make anyone fat", Harry retorted. 

"We are not arguing about that", Louis said.

Harry and his damn baking. 

"And the movie is awful", Louis pointed out. 

Harry laughed. "I have no idea where i got it" 

"Harold", Louis called hesitantly. 

"Yea?", Harry replied giving him his full attention. 

"We've been doing nothing but eating this whole time", Louis observed. 

Harry sighed. "Yeah you're right", he said as if it wasn't that obvious. "Come here", he called for Louis who was sited on the other couch to join him on the one he was sitting on.

"No, i'm fine right where i am", Louis nervously declined.

Harry stood and bounced on him lifting him up with no difficulties at all then carefully placed him on his couch.

"We are just going to cuddle", he whispered only for Louis to hear as if there were others present. 

And cuddling they did but mind you only for the first few minutes in. They watched that awful movie till the end then found something on Netflix that got even more boring. 

"I'm sleepy", Louis said tiredly. It wasn't even past noon and they were so exhausted. He got himself away from Harry's arms only to find out that he was sleeping. 

Harry looked so peaceful and so beautiful. Louis had many emotions running, he couldn't help but admire the work of art in front of him, caressing his cheeks, then tried so hard to resist his lips but he ended up planting an innocent kiss. 

Then it became too much, one kiss after the other and he got lost completely in it not sparing a moment to check if Harry was fast a sleep or not. 

Then the funny thing happened.. he was kissed back but only realised it when Harry's lips widened into a smile against his, and he jumped so swiftly almost losing his balance but he was saved by the couch which he landed on.

"Oh my God.. Sorry", he said being fidgety and embarrassed, hands on his lips. 

Suddenly, Harry was squatting in front him, running his fingers lightly from all angles into Louis's hips. 

"I wanted it as much as you did and it kills me to think that i can't kiss you or touch you like that or-" 

"Harry", Louis weakly called.

"I love you so much even more than i used to", Harry changed the position of his hands and brought them to Louis cheeks. "You still love me and i know you do" 

"Harold", Louis called yet again his body not knowing where to hide. 

"You are scared and i am too but i've learned my lesson, i've become better and right now i really want to kiss you so bad", Harry confessed almost feeling as weak as Louis was. "All i ask is for us to try again, to built us, our home and our-" 

Louis did not mean to cut him off with a kiss but it was too much to handle. The way Harry stared at him so innocently and with a pure lust he had to pull Harry in who in turn pinned him on the couch.

Harry reached his hands out to run along the clothed contours of Louis's bare skin mostly his neck leaving multiple kisses. Louis's lips trembled at first but soon released whimpering moans.

Louis maybe thought of taking control so he captured Harry's lips on his own, his body pliant and willing against Harry. It was a mixture of storm and thunder for the two of them. 

It started out passionately and devouring - biting, clawing, sucking. It was not raw emotion or a struggle with a need to feel something cause the feelings and the wants have always been there.

And maybe they thought of stopping but were too fucked up to even care. It had been so long that they both had made love cause it was never sex with them, they were always present while fucking that it wasn't casual rather it was intimate and true. 

Flurry of hands and desperate need to just feel one another followed, it wasn't long before they were naked feeling each other's bare skin.

Harry ran his hands through the dusting of hair across Louis's chest while Louis buried his hands in the hair at the base of his neck. It was all too much, yet not enough.

They stared at each other, mouths touching as they lingered near each other, the feeling of the other’s breath was warm and welcomed.

The loving making was calm, gentle smooth and slow. They had waited patiently for this day and they finally had it. Harry set a sure but gentle rhythm for them to move to. 

Louis wrapped his legs around Harry's waist grabbing his shoulders for purchase, wanton moans falling from his lips as he canted his hips to meet Harry's thrusts in earnest.

Their voices were angelic as they softly cooed each other's names. They have never been the quiet ones as they enjoyed the pleasure with loud moans and paintings. 

They had done that before but this time it was different.. cause it was happening after a very long time and that meant they would be a little harder than they usually were during sex and not knowing how the other would react to every touch and thrust. 

But in the end it was more than they had imagined. The _Uhhs and Ahhs, the Yeses, the don't stop and the you are so good_ were giving away every emotion and feeling. 

Harry continued to thrust cautiously and Louis continued to bit his neck and sometimes nipples for every pain he made him experience. It turned out the couch was a good support system for their hands and legs. 

Louis shook through his orgasm, nails biting into Harry’s arms as he fought for purchase against the repeated onslaught of Harry hitting his prostate with precision. 

Louis moaned into Harry’s kiss, his whole body weak from the strain and smiled through his panting when Harry’s hips stilled, watching as his eyes clamped shut and his body rocked through it.

They kissed through it, placing delicate kisses to each other's forehead and cheeks and anywhere the dimmed fit until it was over with Harry relaxing on top of Louis.

~

"Why are you crying?", Louis asked minutes later when his chest was full of Harry's tears and he finally had the courage to stop pretending like he didn't notice. 

"I love you", Harry replied not daring to look at Louis. 

"Look at me", Louis said but sounded more like an order. 

Harry did but his head still on Louis's chest supported by his hands. 

"I love you too, a lot", Louis told him.

Harry had always been less talkative compared to Louis and an emotional wreck without a doubt. 

"We are back together?", Harry asked out of nowhere. 

"What do you think?", Louis asked planting a kiss on his head. 

Harry retaliated by giving him one of his own on his chest. 

"I just want to hear you say it", he told him.

"Yes we are", Louis assured him with a kiss. 

"Thank you.. I love you", Harry said wiping the continuous tears that seized to never stop. 

"No, thank you for not giving up on me and us", Louis said. 

It was freezing outside so they cuddle some more.

~

 

**December**.

 

"Gentlemen, how are you?", Mrs Layfield asked. 

Both still holding hands even as they sat. Harry replied, "We are fine" 

"Glad to hear that", Mrs Layfield offered a smile. "With the way things are going i don't think you need me anymore", she told them.

“Yes, we are much better now but what if we start fighting again?", Louis asked a bit worried. 

"You don't fight anymore? Not even once?" She asked darting her eyes between them. 

"It's more of bickering than fighting", Harry replied this time. 

"And what do you do when the bickering happens?" 

Harry looked at Louis with a grin. 

"We end up laughing about it the next minute", he answered. 

"Then continue to do that even with the fights if they happen, it's better to laugh about the bad and the good things together so that no one feels like they are being laughed at", she advised.

"Thank you for all your help, Sharon", Harry genuinely said calling her by her first name. 

"You are very welcomed Harry", Mrs Layfield answered and Louis just watched confusion unfolding. 

"Sharon and Harry? When did this start?", Louis asked.

"We are best friends now", Harry replied. 

"Oh! That's.. new" 

"Well don't forget to call me if you ever need my help or advice on matters of life and.. relationship", Mrs Layfield reminded them. 

"Thanks really.. I'm very grateful", Louis told her. 

"Can i ask a question before you leave? Just out of curiosity cause many people have encountered ended up taking the other direction"

"Yea by all means, go ahead", Harry told her. 

"Why didn't you get a divorce?", She asked. 

The two of them grinned. 

"Because it was never an option", Louis replied staring fondly at his husband. 

"I see.. Merry Christmas in advance and stay happy always", Mrs Layfield bid them.

~ 

 

"Happy birthday baby", Harry wished Louis with a creamed donut so earlier in the morning. 

Louis opened his eyes and gestured for a kiss which he got within a second. 

"Thank you love", he answered accepting the piece of donut being offered. 

"Look who wants to wish you too", Harry forwarded his phone to him that revealed his mom and sister on Skype. 

"Happy birthday", They sang in unison. 

"Thank you, i love you" Louis answered blowing them kisses. 

"We'll see you tomorrow", His mom said.

"Yes, can't wait" 

"Ok, buh-bye love, we love you", And the video call was disconnected. 

"The others are waiting, go get ready", Harry told him, then using the apron he had worn, he hastily wiped the small donuts off Louis's mouth. 

"Greatest baker apart from being the greatest photographer", Louis complimented him then slowly slip out of bed. 

But Harry pulled him to his chest. 

"What about the greatest husband?", he asked kissing his neck.

"I own that one", Louis told him.

Harry moved his lips up to Louis's and kissed them. 

~

"Merry Christmas everyone", Niall without any care of being rather loud shouted.

"Merry Christmas, Niall", Lottie was the one interested enough to answer him back.

"I'm happy that everyone is happy", Jay said. 

"Thanks mom", Louis hugged her with a kiss. 

"Time to open presents", Niall shouted yet again. 

The others just had to laugh, I mean it could be worse for Shawn who spends most time with him.

"Go ahead, I'll just take pictures from here", Harry kissed Louis then saw him walk to the Christmas tree. 

"I'm glad you made it", Liam whispered from behind, startling him.

"We are barely ninety", Harry jokingly replied. 

"He is so happy", Liam pointed at Louis who looked happy indeed. 

"So am i", Harry told him. "You and Zayn look happy too" 

"We are very", Liam replied. 

It wasn't like him and Zayn hadn't had their ups and downs cause they did, up to the point where Zayn almost died but they worked through it, it was just that their problem had come a bit earlier than Louis's and Harry's. 

"Aren't you scared that he might have to go on tour at some point?", Liam hesitantly asked. 

"I honestly don't wanna talk about it now but of course we will have a discussion, for now i just wanna make most of the time we have" 

"Hey what are you guys discussing so seriously?", Zayn suddenly startled them.

Liam kissed him. 

"Nothing we can't handle", Harry replied but the truth was he was talking to himself as the two lovebirds were busy eating each other's faces. 

He resigned to taking pictures of everyone. Soon Louis joined him kissing him for being the best husband though he wasn't planning to let him know and for reminding him of the little things that mattered most to the both of them.

Which were their love and reminder that people don't ran out of love but that they ran out of the little things which remind them of the love. 

Them being ok didn't mean that they weren't going to have fights, big fights but that they were in a better position to deal with whatever came their way. Together as a team and as one. New year awaited them which meant new things worth exploring and they were prepared for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also if you want me to write one more chapter explaining how the couples met and why the divorce was never an option then please let me know.
> 
> Thank you everyone for even taking the time to read this story.
> 
> 1 Harry's medicine is his coming out song about liking both girls and boys since he doesn't like being labelled. 
> 
> 2 So Cheryl and Liam have been having problems while pretending to be ok in public but not ok in private.
> 
> 3 Zayn and Gigi break up just when all that shit is going on with Cheryl and Liam?
> 
> 4 Something is definitely happening and 2018 IS THE YEAR OF 1D AND MY HEART CAN'T TAKE THESE NEWS ONE AFTER THE OTHER WITHOUT EVEN BEING GIVEN A DAY TO PROCESS ONE AT A TIME. WHAT IS MY LIFE EVEN?

**Author's Note:**

> Trying again.


End file.
